UK company transforms old jeans into stylish sunglasses

This is repurposing at its best, when old or damaged jeans are turned into the coolest pair of sunglasses you'll ever own.

Every once in a while, I discover a new green product that amazes me with its ingenuity. That happened earlier this month, when a pair of Mosevic sunglasses came in the mail. I’d seen pictures online and read about the intriguing production method, but until I saw them and used them for myself, it was hard to comprehend just how innovative these sunglasses are.

Mosevic sunglasses are made from denim – not just coated with it for funky texture, but actually made from layers of carefully cut denim in the company’s workshop in Cornwall, United Kingdom. Sourced from unwanted jeans, pieces of fabric are pressed into molds with a special synthetic resin to create a tough composite material, which Moesvic calls Solid Denim. Once hard, the frames are cut by computer-controlled machinery, then stonewashed for texture and appearance.

They are finished by hand in the workshop, with the addition of polarized Zeiss lenses and tough barrel hinges. The frame arms are reinforced by steel wires to make them sturdy and adjustable. Even the nose pads are built by adding more layers of denim where the frames rest on your nose. Like I said, these glasses really are made of denim!

Mosevic was founded by two friends, Jack Spencer and Alex Boswell, both of whom have a background in sustainable product design. They worked for four years to develop the process and products before crowd-funding the venture on Kickstarter in summer 2015. All development and manufacturing takes place in their workshop in Cornwall, where they strive to keep a sustainable focus. Spencer told TreeHugger that they're looking to collaborate with clothing companies to use their waste fabric, be it from offcuts or old stock, and turn the fabric into sunglasses. They are also looking for global retailers interested in selling their products.

There is a new collection available on the website called WORN. While the style and cut of the Solid Denim is precise, no frame is identical to another, since they’re made from different batches of discarded jeans that differ in color, shape, and texture. That’s precisely what makes these sunglasses so interesting, being able to see old materials repurposed in stylish new designs.

I’ve been wearing my pair of Halley frames for several weeks and absolutely love them. They stay up on my nose, despite not having conventional nose pads, and the arms grip my head firmly. The polarized lenses are high quality, providing excellent sun protection. They feel light on my face, and they certainly generate lots of questions from curious friends.

Visit the Mosevic website to learn more and to view the WORN collection. You can buy online, with free shipping and returns. Get an additional 10 percent off by using the discount code 'Worn10'.